BRISTOL, R.I. (WPRI) – Shellfish harvesting at the Kickemuit River is set to reopen at sunrise Thursday after acceptable samples were collected on Monday, according to the Department of Environmental Management.

The river had an emergency closure on June 26 when up to 10,000 gallons of untreated sewage entered the river over a 24-hour period. The sewage overflow was caused by a crack in the force main valve at Bristol’s Kickemuit River pump station.

All waters of the Kickemuit River north of the so-called Narrows in Bristol – from the utility pole located at the end of Narrows Road on the western shoreline to the stone wall at the most southwestern point of land on the opposite side of the Narrows on Touisset Neck (east side of Bristol Narrows) – will re-open to shellfish harvesting Thursday.

There was also a precautionary swimming advisory issued by the Department of Health and DEM as a result of the sewage overflow. It was lifted July 1 after acceptable water column sampling results.

For up-to-date information on shellfish closures, call the DEM’s recorded information telephone line at 222-2900.